The art of providing injection molding equipment as it has developed over the years has reached an extremely high degree of automation in the molding operation itself, in the release of molded parts from the mold and in the automatic separation of the molded parts from the runner system, as above defined, associated therewith. This has provided an extremely efficient molding apparatus with a minimum of labor cost. However, as is well known to the art, the problem of handling the molded parts immediately following their discharge, or withdrawal, from the mold has not been as successfully handled, particularly where there has been involved a molding machine used to make a wide range of sizes and shapes of molded products.
In some instances where the withdrawal and further handling of the molded components, said term referring to any one or more of the molded parts, the runner or the sprue is associated with separating the molded parts from the runners and sprue, it is common to separate the molded parts from the runners and sprue immediately prior to discharge from the mold. This has been successfully automated but in many cases said molded parts must then be separated by hand from the runners and sprue which separation is an expensive and undesirable procedure.
In other cases, where the removal from the mold is for other purposes, such as trimming by a die, punching holes in the molded part or inserting thereinto metal portions which cannot effectively be inserted within the mold, this again has normally required at least a substantial amount of hand manipulation and attempts to automate such procedures have been at least limited to instances of extremely high volume, such as to justify specialized equipment.
For illustrative purposes, the broad concept comprising both the method and apparatus aspects of the invention, are directed toward the problem of separating molded parts from runner systems, said latter comprising either or both of a runner and a sprue and hence further discussion will for the most part be confined to this application. However, it will be fully recognized that such reference to the problem of separating molded parts from runner systems is for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limiting.
I am aware that several mechanisms have been offered to the trade for the purpose of effecting such separation of parts and runner systems, and one of such devices which has proven highly successful is illustrated and claimed in my own U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,981. However, all of the devices known to me thus far offered to the trade, including that of my own patent aforesaid, rely upon the separating of the runner system and parts after they have been intermingled and this in all cases requires that the designer of a given separating machine give consideration to the relative sizes and shapes of a given runner system and molded parts. In many instances, particularly where relatively large parts are involved, or parts of roughly the same size as the runner system, the parts cannot be reliably separated from the runner system automatically and hand separation is required.
Accordingly, the objects and purposes of the invention include:
1. To provide a method and means for enabling handling means to establish a positive physical connection with a molded component, comprising one or more of a molded part, a runner or a sprue, within a mold substantially simultaneously with the molding operation and for maintaining connection therewith after the mold opens.
2. To provide a method and means, as aforesaid, which is particularly adapted following the opening of the mold for carrying the molded components with which such connection has been established to a point spaced from the mold for further handling or release as desired.
3. To provide a method and means for separating molded parts from a runner system immediately following an injection molding operation.
4. To provide a method and means, as aforesaid, wherein the parts and runner system never become intermingled but the separation takes place at the mold and immediately directs the parts and runner system into separate collecting zones.
5. To provide apparatus, as aforesaid, wherein a runner system is engaged by removal means prior to the discharge from the mold of the molded parts and hence holds such runner system under suitable control for delivery to a desired point while permitting the parts to drop from the mold into suitable parts collecting means.
6. To provide apparatus, as aforesaid, wherein the engagement between the removal means and the runner system takes place simultaneously with the molding operation.
7. To provide apparatus, as aforesaid, wherein the apparatus involved will be of relatively simple nature and capable of mounting within a molding machine and adjacent the mold without excessive cost and without interfering with the basic operation of the machine.
8. To provide apparatus, as aforesaid, which can be readily manufactured as auxiliary apparatus for application to and use with existing standard molding machines.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with apparatus of this type upon inspection of the accompanying drawings and reading of the following specification.